Chopped kale salad? How can that be interesting at all. Well, I promise you it’s worth it. It’s light, healthy, and packs some good flavors with the whipped feta, roasted butternut squash, cranberries, and more. If you give it a chance, it’s a perfect lunch for your work day. Give it a try!
Can I use already chopped kale for my salad?
Yes absolutely! In fact, if you look at the photo I used for the blog post, you’ll see that I also used chopped kale from Palmetto Gardens; however, I do have one piece of advice. Remove the stems from your kale as it is much more bitter than the leaves. Save the stems for a stock or stir fry.
You could also use whole kale leaves and chop it yourself. Not a problem. My other recommendation is to massage the leaves with the dressing. This loosens them up a little bit and allows the kale to absorb more of the dressing.
How should I cook the butternut squash?
For this recipe, I roasted the the butternut squash for at least 25-30 minutes at 400F. I’d recommend at the very least coating it with olive oil and seasoning with salt. But you could also add in honey or maple syrup for added flavor. You could also use roasted chickpeas in place of the butternut squash if you’d like.
Alternatives to whipped feta
Now, you do NOT have to whip the feta. I know it’s an extra step.
You can substitute whipped feta with crumbled feta or crumbled goat cheese. My whipped feta has a similar to consistency to goat cheese so it’s a good alternative regardless. If you’d like, you can also use blue cheese. I love blue cheese personally – it adds a very nice tang.
Chopped kale salad protein suggestions
Finally, let’s talk about protein suggestions for this chopped kale salad.
- Soft-boiled eggs
- Roasted salmon
- Grilled chicken
Or, you can serve this as is. If you’d rather not have a protein, that is totally fine. Protein is not absolutely required to have this salad for a nice lunch. You could also serve this on the side of your main dinner course.
Chopped kale salad with easy and creamy whipped feta
Ingredients
- 1/2 pounds kale chopped
- 1/2 cup quinoa cooked
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 4 oz package of chopped butternut squash roasted
- Whipped Feta substitute crumbled feta
- Protein of choice optional
Whipped Feta:
- 4 oz crumbled feta room temperature
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp ricotta cream cheese, or sour cream, room temperature
Dressing:
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Paprika to taste
- Cumin to taste
- 1/4 cup olive oil
Instructions
- Remove all the stems from the leaves and shred the leaves with your fingers or chop. Crunch the leaves between your palms. Place in a large bowl.
- To the kale, add the cooked quinoa, roasted butternut squash, and dried cranberries. Add the dressing and give it a good toss. Note: the method for each is also listed below.
- To serve, smear the whipped feta on the plate or bowl. Add the salad and serve with your choice of protein. Enjoy!
For the Butternut Squash:
- Preheat the oven to 400.
- Toss the chopped butternut squash with olive oil, salt and pepper. When the oven is ready, spread the butternut squash on a baking sheet and roast for 25-30 minutes, until crispy.
Quinoa:
- In a medium-sized pot, add 1/4 cup quinoa and 1/2 cup of water on high heat. When it starts to boil, cover, set the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and let sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff the quinoa.
Dressing:
- In a small bowl, mix the juice of 1 lemon, 1/4 cup olive oil, paprika, and cumin until well combined.
Whipped Feta:
- In a food processor, add the feta, ricotta, and olive oil. Pulse until fully combined.
Notes
- This salad will go well with salmon, chicken, steak, or soft-boiled eggs
- Save the kale stems to stir fry for another meal or use for stock
- Massaging the kale leaves helps give it an overall softer texture.
- Use room temperature feta for an easier time with the smearing effect
Nutrition
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